Whoopi Goldberg, Michele Tafoya debate racial progress on ‘The View’

“The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg had a spirited debate with NBC Sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya about racial progress on Tuesday’s show. 

During a discussion of Virginia’s gubernatorial race between Glenn Youngkin (R) and Terry McAuliffe (D), the issue of Critical Race Theory came up as one of the major focuses in the race. 

Goldberg noted that Critical Race Theory was college-level curriculum and wasn’t currently taught to children anyhow, to which co-host Joy Behar chimed in and called it “culture war BS.” 

Tafoya, who was serving as a guest co-host, argued that “characterization” matters, using the example how race factored into her children’s experiences at school. 

“Why are we even teaching that the color of the skin matters? Because to me, what matters is your character and your values,” Tafoya asked the panel. 

Goldberg and Tafoya then had a back and forth on racial progression in the U.S, with Goldberg telling the sports broadcaster that white people need to “step up.” 

CRITICAL RACE THEORY ANIMATING VOTERS IN LOCAL RACES? Poll watchers are saying that some state races could forecast which way the country is headed politically, especially the Virginia race between Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin–the co-hosts and #MicheleTafoya weigh in. pic.twitter.com/FPr2CEMlEt

— The View (@TheView) November 2, 2021

“Yes, but you know — you live in the United States. You know that color of skin has been mattering to people for years,” Goldberg told Tafoya.  

“Can’t we change it that it doesn’t?” Tafoya asked. 

“We need white people to step up and do that,” Goldberg said to Tafoya. 

“But I think they have been doing that since the Civil War,” Tafoya said. 

“No, no, no. No, they haven’t,” Goldberg replied. 

Goldberg then cited an example of how it took certain states years to outlaw the lynching of Black people, and said when he own grandfather returned from WWI he had to step off the sidewalk to allow white people to pass.

“That makes me sick,” Tafoya said. 

“It should,” Goldberg responded. “We need more people to feel like that so we can get to the place that everybody thought we were with race and all the conversations.”